Common Sciatica Questions

What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a medical term used to describe symptoms — the shooting pain, tingling, and numbness — caused by a low back condition.

What's causing my sciatica?
Your sciatica can be caused by a bulging disc or a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, piriformis syndrome, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, a spinal tumor or spinal infection, spondylolisthesis, or trauma.

Any one of those conditions can put pressure on the sciatic nerve or related nerve roots in your low back. That pressure is what causes your pain and other symptoms.

Will I need surgery?
Most patients with sciatica respond well to non-surgical treatments, so spine surgery is seldom needed to treat it. However, there are situations when you may want to go ahead with spine surgery:

• You have bowel or bladder dysfunction. This is rare, but it may occur with spinal cord compression.
• You have spinal stenosis, and your doctor feels that surgery is the best way to treat it.
• You are experiencing other neurologic dysfunctions, such as severe leg weakness.
• Your symptoms become severe and/or non-surgical treatment is no longer effective.

What kinds of surgery are used for sciatica?
Two common spinal surgeries for sciatica are:

• Discectomy or Microdiscectomy: In both of these procedures, the surgeon removes all or part of a herniated disc that's pushing on your sciatic nerve and causing your sciatica symptoms. The difference between the procedures is that a microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgery. The surgeon uses microscopic magnification to work through a very small incision using very small instruments. Because the surgery is minimally invasive, you should recover more quickly from a microdiscectomy.

• Laminectomy or Laminotomy: These procedures both involve a part of the spine called the lamina-a bony plate that protects the spinal canal and spinal cord. A laminectomy is the removal of the entire lamina; a laminotomy removes only a part of the lamina. These procedures can create more space for the nerves, reducing the likelihood of the nerves being compressed or pinched.

Can I use over-the-counter medication to deal with my sciatica?
Yes, you can! Over-the-counter NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) will help reduce swelling while relieving your pain. You and your doctor have plenty to choose from. You can use acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve).